Lung cancer in Yorkshire chrome platers, 1972-97

Objectives-To investigate mortality from lung cancer in chrome platers, a g roup exposed to chromic acid. Methods-The mortality of a cohort of 1087 chrome platers (920 men, 167 wome n) from 54 plants situated in the West Riding of Yorkshire, United Kingdom, was investigated for the period 1972-97. All subjects were employed as chr ome platers for greater than or equal to 3 months and all were alive on 31 May 1972. Mortality data were also available for a cohort of 1163 compariso n workers with no known occupational exposure to chrome compounds (989 men, 174 women). Information on duration of chrome work and smoking habits coll ected for a cross sectional survey carried out in 1969-72 were available fo r 916 (84.3%) of the chrome platers; smoking habits were available for 1004 (86.3%) comparison workers. Two analytical approaches were used, indirect standardisation and Poisson regression. Results-Based on serial mortality rates for the general population of Engla nd and Wales, significantly increased mortality from lung cancer was observ ed (obs) in male chrome platers (obs 60, expected (exp) 32.5, standardised mortality ratio (SMR) 185, p<0.001) but not in male comparison workers (obs 47, exp 36.9, SMR 127). Positive trends were not shown for duration of emp loyment exposed to chrome, although data on working after 1972 were not ava ilable. Conclusions-Confident interpretation is not possible but occupational expos ures to hexavalent chromium may well have been involved in the increased mo rtality from lung cancer found in this cohort of chrome platers.